Since the first week in January I have been documenting the disintegration of nail polish on my toes as a metaphor for impermanence. The idea for the project came from two of the practices I practice: chanting and meditation. With a little bit of commerce mixed in.
I've made a living for most of my life as a beauty writer. So it was a bit of an augury one day to notice that the toe nail polish I'd been allowing to wear away was a symbol of my adult life, and life in general. The more I devote to art, the less attached I am to earning a living as a writer. This wearing away of attachment is not unlike the Zen concept of Ren Ma, or polishing. The two seem sister concepts.
So that's what the pics above are all about. Just a glimpse at what I hope will one day be a full exhibition. It's been just over 3 months and the polish isn't completely worn away. I give it another month or two until the nails are pristine and polish-free.
And I think I will start the project all over again. What I've discovered is that in documenting the disappearance of color, my life is in the background, literally.
And, that the feet or toes become somewhat personified. The photos become portraits.
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